The banner image, called "Crouch, pause, action" shows a bobcat in the midst of the hunt. Photographer Joe Sulik describes the moment: "She was crouched in the long grass, all hunched up, watching for prey. I saw her shift her weight to her hind legs. I knew I had just a fraction of a second to get ready for the shot." And then the bobcat pounced. (Photograph courtesy Joe Sulik, VEWPOY).

"Midnight snack" (Photograph courtesy Alexander Badyaev, VEWPOY).

"Last Wild Picture"
(Photograph courtesy Steve Winter, VEWPOY).

"Flight Path" (Photograph courtesy Owen Hearn, VEWPOY)

"Snow Pounce" (Photograph courtesy Richard Peters, VEWPOY)

"The Snow Herd" (Photograph courtesy Vladimir Medvedev, VEWPOY)

"Living on Thin Ice" (Photograph courtesy Ole Jørgen Liodden, VEWPOY). The entire gallery can be found here. [H/t National Geographic]